The announcement by Ondo State’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Kayode Ajulo, SAN, that the government intends to probe the death of former Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has provoked significant controversy and condemnation across the state. Ajulo revealed that his office had received numerous petitions from concerned parties, both within and beyond Ondo State, requesting a coroner’s inquest into the circumstances of the late governor’s passing.
According to Ajulo, the petitioners allege possible involvement of Akeredolu’s widow, Betty, and others in his death, although their identities remain confidential. This development has sparked fierce reactions from political leaders, community elders, and legal professionals, many of whom have criticized the move as ill-conceived and potentially destabilizing.
Prince Ademola Adegoroye, former Minister of State for Transportation, described the proposal to exhume the late governor’s body as “unthinkable” and warned Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa against proceeding. “This is completely unnecessary and capable of throwing the state into avoidable turmoil,” Adegoroye said. He urged the government to prioritize peace and respect for the late governor, suggesting the petitions are the work of mischief-makers aiming to undermine the administration.
Former Ondo State Head of Service, Mr. Ajose Kudehinbu, echoed these sentiments, noting that no probe was ever contemplated during or after Akeredolu’s burial. He emphasized that the late governor died of prostate cancer in December 2023 and that the executive authority and responsibility for the state’s legacy rest solely with the current governor. “As indigenes and citizens, we have a collective duty to promote harmony and progress, not division,” Kudehinbu stated.
Legal practitioner Sola Ajisafe from Akure also criticized the planned inquiry, warning it could be seen as an “assault on the memory” of the late governor and could inflame tensions in Owo, Akeredolu’s hometown. Ajisafe pointed out the complex political and cultural landscape in Owo and cautioned against the Attorney-General’s apparent bias, particularly his reference to the controversial demolition of the Owo Cenotaph by Betty Akeredolu as justification for the probe. He urged the government to exercise caution, asserting, “The people of Ondo State deserve peace and unity, not suspicion and chaos.”
Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and former Nigerian Bar Association president, passed away in Germany in December 2023 after a battle with prostate cancer. While his death was publicly attributed to natural causes, the renewed calls for investigation have rekindled speculation about the circumstances surrounding his demise, threatening to destabilize the state’s political environment.